My Favorite Celtic Band
I do enjoy me some Celtic music. Let me tell you a story. But first, my tummy decided I need to get some lunch.
…a few minutes later…
When I worked an internship in Buffalo, the guy who had occupied my desk previously left a bunch of CDs. One of them looked interesting, so I popped it in not knowing at all what to expect. What I heard was a beautiful concoction of accordian, violin, flute, guitar, tribal percussion, and voice, among other things. I think I fell in love right about then. I immediately copied the CD like the pirate I was back then.
Years later, I found a website where you paid $10 a month for as many songs as you could download (they have since changed their policy). I got curious and searched for Solas, and found a bunch of their albums. I downloaded the one I copied so it would be ligitimate (I had given up my swashbuckling ways by then) and the other three I found. They’ve since come out with two more, and they’re both on my hit list. I just have to wait until next month because I ran out of downloads.
They’re not a new band, and they may not even be around anymore except for the occasional reunion tour (their latest is a reunion album), but they’re awesome. I highly recommend them if you’re into it. To see if you are, go ahead and download the song. Don’t ask me for more songs…you’ll have to find them and buy them yourself.
The Wind That Shakes The Barley (4.6mb)
-(d)j
My Song Of The Day
I enjoy Cole Porter’s lyricism. He’s usually very witty, albeit sometimes a little sketchy if you know his background. He’s also very poetic, and mixed with fun melodies that go all over the place, you have yourself one dandy of a song. Which fits, because he was one Dandy of a songwriter.
In The Still Of The Night
-Cole Porter
In the still of the night
As I gaze through my window
At the moon in its flight
My thoughts all turn to you
In the still of the night
All the world is in slumber
All the times without number
Darling when I say to you
Do you love me as I love you?
Are you my life to be, my dream come true?
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Like the moon growing dim
On the rim of a hill
In the chill, still
Of the night
Pandora
Ok, music lovers. If you haven’t heard about it yet, you need to check out Pandora. It’s basically a music player, but it tries to build stations of music you’ll like. You tell it an artist or song that you like, and it will start playing songs it thinks you’ll like. I gotta say…it’s been pretty dead on so far. There are a couple hitches though. First, you have to be in the US. Sorry, Canadians. Second, if you like classical, you’re out of luck (for now). They’re working on it, but I imagine that classical is so diverse a genre that it’s hard to write an algorithm that will do what Pandora does.
This is the station that I have created so far. I typed in “Louis Jordan” because I like his music lately, and it’s been playing similar stuff, only one of which I didn’t love.
-j
Amusing
I’m in a song lyric displayin’ mood. I’ve always enjoyed Chris Rice’s lyrics. He’s a Christian artist who’s incredible at singing and playing guitar and writes really great songs. I like the songs he writes that use nature to describe God’s power and His awesomeness (like “Wind and Spirit” from Past the Edges). In his most recent project, he dabbles in a couple songs about love. This one is my favorite, Lemonade.
So go ahead and ask her
For happy ever after
‘Cause nobody knows what’s coming
So why not take a chance on loving
Come on, pour the glass and tempt me
Either half-full or half-empty
‘Cause if it all comes down to flavor
The glass is tipping in my favor
Life gave me lemonade and I can’t imagine why
Born on a sunny day, beneath a tangerine sky
I live life without pretending
I’m a sucker for happy endings
Thanks for the lemonade!
Now take your time to answer me
For the beauty of romancing
Is to calm your trembling hand with mine
While begging love to fill your eyes
I can hardly breathe while waiting
To find out what your heart is saying
And as we’re swirling in this flavor
The world is tilting in our favor
I’ve got it made
Rest in the shade
And hold my love
While God above
Stirs wiith a spoon
We share the moon
Smile at the bees
More sugar please
He really loves us after all
We’re gonna need another straw!
Copyright 2004 Clumsy Fly Music (ASCAP)
-j
Ol’ Blue Eyes
Who doesn’t like Sinatra? Here’s a little diddy I am listening to now. It’s nice and swingin’.
You see a pair of laughing eyes
And suddenly your sighing sighs
You’re thinking nothing’s wrong
You string along, boy, then snap!
Those eyes, those sighs, they’re part of the tender trap
You’re hand in hand beneath the trees
And soon there’s music in the breeze
You’re acting kind of smart, until your heart just goes wap!
Those trees, that breeze, they’re part of the tender trap
Some starry night, when her kisses make you tingle
She’ll hold you tight, and you’ll hate yourself for being single
And all at once it seems so nice
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
You hurry to a spot, that’s just a dot on the map
You’re hooked, you’re cooked, you’re caught in the tender trap
And then you wonder how it all came about
It’s too late now there’s no gettin’ out
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap
Ahhh…good ol’ Frank.
-jaynatra